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Decrypting Selangor – The mess it has become and why it may exacerbate

Resignation, infighting, a walkout by top brass and administration standstill pretty much sums up Selangor’s current situation. Forgoing allegiance and the ballot box may be the only options to alleviate the hot mess, writes Vijhay Vick.

Azmin has accepted the resignations but the duo, who hold vital positions in the running of the association, are merely on an indefinite leave because the ultimate power in regards to appointment, sacking or resignation of the posts, lie with the Exco.

Rosman, Sivasundram and Zainal have left the association due to poor performance but team manager Amirudin Shari and assistant team manager Noor Hisham are still present

Such discussions, which were never explicitly listed on Monday’s agenda, was only expected to take place after nine other matters but a portion of the Exco felt Rosman and Sivasundram’s positions were paramount to matters in FAS and should precede before all.

A Exco member told FourFourTwo that “some wanted an explanation on why Rosman, Sivasundram and head coach Zainal Abidin Hassan have left the association due to poor performance but Selangor team manager Amirudin Shari and assistant team manager Noor Hisham Ghouth are still present.”

A disagreement lea to 11 Exco members staging a walkout and the meeting simply could not proceed with what it had set out to do because it lacked quorum.

The effects of which could be telling as FAS cannot run effectively as an organisation without sorting out these positions.

Poor performance led to Zainal's departure

Assistant secretary Raja Restam Azhar Jaafar has been tasked with the day-to-day running but more serious matters like finance are still in balance as the general-secretary and treasurer are signatories.

The Exco, which have only met three times since 2014, were also expected to pass long-due 2014 and 2015 accounts, discuss a much-awaited privatisation structure, find Zainal’s permanent replacement and set a date for an overdue Congress, but none took place.

Instead, Azmin has turned to FAS deputy-president Datuk Mokhtar Ahmad – the same person put in cold storage after an internal power grab between two camps last year – to look at ways to tighten up the association.

However, with an Exco that is split in two, any effort to restructure the association with significant changes will be futile as it would simply not gain enough numbers without solidarity among the members, many of whom hold key votes among the Selangor’s 102 affiliates.

Considering the standstill, going back to the ballot box in an extra-ordinary general meeting may be the best solution for FAS, who have not held their yearly annual general meeting (Congress) since August 2014

Selangor have not been able to challenge for the MSL this season

FourFourTwo understands FAS, wrote to the Sport Commissioner’s Office last year, requesting to postpone the 2015 Congress - the reason why 2014 accounts have yet to be passed.

Though uncommon, further delays could incur the wrath of the Sport Commissioner’s Office, who has the power to suspend the association altogether. FAS could be forced to conduct a superficial Congress merely to meet requirements as Exco members may not be able to find a common ground to make key decisions as things stand at present.

Selangor fans are likely to continue their endless (and perhaps fruitless) demand of a complete restructuring of Selangor football and privatisation, but the current situation is just one fine reason why that remains a distant dream.

If unity cannot be reach, one camp must prevail, and whichever that may be there is no better solution than giving the power back to the 102 affiliates to end squabble and provide a fresh mandate.

Selangor must pick a direction instead of being stagnant, for now they are unable to even decide who their next coach should be, let alone undergo a revamp.